Emma Benasich lives in Dorset, VT and has a been participating in EDD clinics for about 7 years. She plays basketball with the Bulldogs Special Olympics team at Burr and Burton Academy. She has participated in EDD Memorial Fund programs at Castleton University since our first basketball program with the Spartans in 2012. Emma has a great attitude and is always excited to practice and play! She shared her thoughts about our programs with interns Bridie McNamara and Meghan Dieterle.

Emma participates in a variety of sports, but her favorite sport is basketball. She really enjoys playing with the college teams. Emma’s favorite part of the clinics is the boys who help run the clinics and the pizza at the end to celebrate everyone's hard work at the clinic. Her favorite EDD clinic that she has done so far is the soccer clinic run by the Castleton’s soccer teams. Even though she really likes the soccer clinics, since basketball is her favorite sport, she also really likes the basketball clinics with the Castleton basketball teams. She said that all the players are really nice and they make her feel happy! Emma really enjoys the opportunity to play with college athletes because they are all really supportive (and the boys are cute!).

Emma’s mom, Meg Benasich, is also very appreciative of the clinics, as they have given Emma the opportunity to meet and hang out with other kids whom she otherwise wouldn’t have met. She also says that all of the athletes who volunteer are positive, engaging and energetic. And, more importantly, they share a mutual respect with the participating athletes. She is so grateful for all the joy and memories the EDD Memorial Fund clinics have given her daughter.